There are now three men left in the fight to become successor to the leader of Alberta's Progressive Conservatives, Premier Ralph Klein.

Here are the ones who survived in the voting held Saturday across Alberta's 83 constituencies and their share of the popular vote:

• Jim Dinning: 30 per cent
• Ted Morton: 26 per cent
• Ed Stelmach: 15 per cent

About 98,000 votes were cast.

Five other candidates are now also-rans. The finalists began negotiations with them to try and gain support for the runoff vote before the results were completely known.

Doug Main -- campaign manager for Ted Morton, the political science professor and longtime Reform-Canadian Alliance activist -- told The Canadian Press that Morton's team would like to have former cabinet minister Lyle Oberg onside.

"Lyle ran a great campaign and we'd love to have him," he said. "I know Ted and Lyle have spoken and I think he's going to talk to some of his people and figure out exactly what to do."

Oberg, who finished fourth and ran a socially conservative platform like Morton's, said he would consult with his supporters before announcing any decision. However, he later announced he would be supporting Stelmach. On Monday, Mark Norris, who finished sixth, also endorsed Stelmach.

However, because of the one-person, one-vote nature of the Alberta leadership race, no candidate can guarantee his supporters will follow his lead.

The second round of voting takes place on Saturday, Dec. 2. If no one captures 50 per cent support in that vote, a preferential ballot system kicks in. People can select a first and second choice.

Klein finally submitted his resignation on Sept. 20 after getting a very disappointing result in a spring leadership review vote, formally triggering a race to replace him in the post he has held for 14 years.

Progressive Conservatives have been in power since 1971 (Klein's predecessors were Peter Lougheed and Don Getty), and so the job of Alberta premier is one of the steadiest gigs in politics.

A quick look at the bios and platforms of the finalists and the also-rans (the names provide links to candidates' official websites; the number of first-round votes received are in brackets):

Jim Dinning (29,470):

Former provincial treasurer who left elected politics in 1997 after 11 years as an MLA. As treasurer, he led the Klein government's war against the deficit.

Has a BComm and a Masters in Public Administration from Queen's.

Now a Calgary businessman who sits on the boards of at least six corporations, he also spent two years as chair of the Calgary Health Authority.

Is a director of the Banff Centre and public policy groups such as the Canada West Foundation, the Atlantic Institute for Market Studies, the Canadian Policy Research Networks, and the Alberta Energy Research Institute.

Dinning had been preparing for a leadership run for years. He reportedly had a campaign war chest of $2 million.

He favours limits to growth in the booming oilsands region of northeastern Alberta. He wants to put more money into the province's Heritage Fund and invest in training and education of the province's workforce. He supports trying to fix the public health system through innovation rather than experimenting with private delivery.

However, while he's clearly the favourite of the urban business establishment, he might be seen as too urban by rural voters, and it was rural voters who put Klein over the top in 1992.

While he ran a cautious front-runner's campaign, after the vote ended, Dinning immediately took aim at Morton, saying his opponent was mainly interested in fighting past battles.

Ted Morton (25,614):

Morton is the standard-bearer for social conservatives in the Alberta Progressive Conservative party.

He represents the Foothills-Rockyview riding just outside Calgary, where he was first elected in 2004. He hasn't been appointed to cabinet.

American-born, he had been a University of Calgary political science professor for 22 years. He's part of what's called the Calgary School, a group of academics that's been active in developing the Western conservative agenda.

He was active in the old Reform-Canadian Alliance parties and was elected Reform's senator-in-waiting in 1998. He helped Stephen Harper author the famous 2001 "Alberta Agenda" letter that advocated a "firewall" around the province.

Morton opposes gay marriage and judicial activism. He wants to protect Alberta's resource revenues from Ottawa, privatize parts of the public health system and tie government spending to revenues.

"Ted Morton is the face of ideology. Very presentable face of ideology. He's hard right. He's very much a Stephen Harper type," said Calgary Herald columnist Don Martin on CTV's Question Period on Nov. 26.

If the rural vote coalesces around his candidacy, he could win, Martin said.

"I'm supportin' Morton" is how Morton's campaign buttons and t-shirts read.

Ed Stelmach (14,967):

Stelmach grew up on a farm near Andrew, Alta. He started university studies before a family tragedy forced him to give them up. He worked in retail before returning to the family farm.

In 1993, Stelmach won election for the constituency of Vegreville-Viking (now Fort Saskatchewan-Vegreville). In 1995, Klein named him minister of agriculture. He would also serve in the infrastructure, transportation and intergovernmental affairs portfolios.

Stelmach supports a review of the province's oil royalty regime.

He promises to be an inclusive leader who will make improving the province's quality of life and preparing the province's economy for the future as his priorities.

Stelmach wants to improve government transparency by introducing a lobbyist and contractor registry. While not a charismatic man, he is seen as a quietly competent team player.

"Ed's got the integrity. Ed's always put the party first and province first and never Ed first. It's always been about what makes a good province and what makes the party strong," said Dave Hancock, who finished fifth.

If the supporters of Oberg, Norris and Hancock all support Stelmach, he would have almost 41,000 votes. However, if the same number of people vote on Dec. 2 as Nov. 25, the winner will require in excess of 49,000 votes.

Stelmach and Morton would likely be fishing in the same pool of voters.

The fourth through eighth-place candidates

Lyle Oberg (11,638):

Born and raised in small-town Alberta. A physician by training.

First elected to the legislature in 1993, representing the Strathmore-Brooks constituency east of Calgary. Appointed to cabinet in 1997. Has served as minister of family services, infrastructure and transportation, and of learning.

Klein kicked him out of caucus in March after Oberg told his constituency association they should vote their consciences on continued support of Klein's leadership. Oberg opposed Klein's original plan for a long goodbye, saying it would hurt the party.

Oberg prefers to let the marketplace determine the pace of oilsands development. He favours a blend of private and public health care. He would add 30,000 post-secondary educational spaces by 2012 and would pick up the final year's tuition for high-achieving students.

As indicated, he will be endorsing Stelmach.

Dave Hancock (7,595):

Born in Fort Resolution, NWT and raised in Fort Vermillion, Alta., Hancock has resided in Edmonton since 1972. He is a lawyer by training.

Hancock first won election in 1997, but has been a Progressive Conservative party activist for 35 years. He has held the cabinet portfolios of justice and attorney-general, and of intergovernmental affairs.

He sees education and skills development as critical to the province's future.

As indicated, he will be endorsing Stelmach.

Mark Norris (6,789):

Born and raised in Edmonton, Norris established a sign manufacturing and advertising company.

He was first elected to the legislature in 2001. Klein named him minister of economic development. However, Norris lost to a Liberal in the 2004 provincial election.

Norris would like to slow down the pace of oilsands development and make it more orderly, but not cap it. He would create a ministry of energy and oilsands development.

On his website, he highlighted affordable education, rural revitalization, solving the labour shortage problem and encouraging economic diversification as issues he believed were priorities for Albertans.

As indicated, he will be endorsing Stelmach.

Victor Doerksen (873):

Doerksen was born in Bassano, Alta. east of Calgary and grew up in Linden. He is a certified general accountant by profession and studied religion for several years.

He was first elected to the legislature in 1993 and stayed for four terms, currently representing Red Deer South. Doerksen was appointed to cabinet in 2004 as minister of science and innovation.

Doerksen described his priorities as promoting meaningful party membership, renewed fiscal discipline, accountability in health care and supporting parental roles.

Gary McPherson (744):

McPherson was born in Edson, Alta. but has lived in Edmonton since 1955.

The Order of Canada recipient has no track record in elected politics at the provincial level, but has been a prominent advocate for the rights of the disabled.

His policies were oriented towards enhancing quality of life and long-term sustainability. He also promised a renewal of the P.C. party itself, returning it to a more grassroots level.

"The PC party is not guaranteed government in Alberta -- the Party has to earn it!"